The ultimate fall side dish! This butternut squash gratin combines tender cubes of squash with a crispy Parmesan and sage breadcrumb topping.
Years ago, if you had asked my mum whether her daughter would one day make a large baking dish full of butternut squash gratin, and tuck in without a single complaint, she would have snickered loudly. As a kid, I was a pretty adventurous eater. However, my parents would have had to hang me upside down by my ankles to convince me to eat any type of squash.
I am happy to report that I have since seen the light. Squash now graces my table regularly, in everything from soups to salads (such as Grilled Summer Vegetable Salad), and breakfast dishes (such as Baked Eggs with Summer Vegetables & Capers).
In this gratin recipe, butternut squash and onions are caramelized, along with a dash of nutmeg, then baked and topped with a crunchy layer of Parmesan cheese and sage breadcrumbs. The result is a hearty, vegetarian (if you use vegetable broth) side dish that may even please the palates of your youngest diners.
How to make butternut squash gratin:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Cut 2 medium onions (about 1 pound) into thin slices and add to the pan. Sauté onions until they are light golden, 5 to 8 minutes.
Peel, seed, and cut butternut squash into ½-inch cubes (2 ½ pounds). Add to the onions and sauté for 4 minutes. Add ¾ teaspoon sugar, ¾ teaspoons salt, ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg to the mixture.
Stir well and sauté until the onions and squash begin to caramelize, 5 to 6 minutes.
Pour the vegetable mixture into a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish that is coated with cooking spray. Spread the vegetables evenly in the dish and pour ¾ cup chicken or vegetable broth over top. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven.
Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, mix 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs, 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle evenly over the squash mixture. Bake, uncovered, until the top is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve.
Other butternut squash recipes:
Chorizo & Butternut Squash Lentil Soup
Butternut Squash Stew with Quinoa & Beans (Vegan)
Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
Vegetarian Frittata with Butternut Squash & Mushrooms
Printable Recipe
Butternut Squash Gratin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions thinly sliced
- 2 ½ pounds butternut squash peeled, seeded, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ¾ teaspoon sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 ¼ teaspoons ground black pepper divided
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup vegetable broth (or chicken broth - not vegetarian)
- 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add onions to the pan. Sauté onions until they are light golden, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add butternut squash to the onions and sauté for 4 minutes. Add sugar, ¾ teaspoons salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg to the mixture. Stir well and sauté until the onions and squash begin to caramelize, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Pour the vegetable mixture into a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish that is coated with cooking spray. Spread the vegetables evenly in the dish and pour chicken broth over top. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove the dish from the oven. (The recipe can be prepared until this point 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat in a 350 degree F oven for 10 minutes.)
- Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, sage, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle evenly over the squash mixture.
- Bake, uncovered, until the top is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
tracie @ beets+birch
i made all new recipes for our thanksgiving meal . this was one of them. SOOOOO GOOD! really enjoyed. it was a party in our mouths!
will make again for sure!
thank you for sharing the recipe!
Dara
Tracie, I'm so glad to hear that! You are a brave woman to make all new recipes for your feast. 🙂 I hope you had a wonderful day.
StreamingGourmet
I swear, Cookin' Canuck. Virtually every recipe you post goes into my favorites box. It's uncanny. I should do a whole menu/dinner party of just Cookin' Canuck dishes one day. 🙂
Family Cuisine Food And Recipe
Thank you for sharing. Cheers!
Jennifer@womanvfood
That looks really good, and healthy! Thanks!
Mother Rimmy
Fantastic! I can't wait to try this. Sage and butternut squash. A terrific combination of flavors.
Chef Fresco
I love fresh sage & really love butternut squash. Nice creation!!
Christine
I love butternut squash to death, and can have them baked as my main dish.
But my mother and my mother-in-law don't like pumpkins at all. Maybe they don't have the best kind or they might have eaten too much when they experienced hardships in their childhood. They didn't have anything else to eat except pumpkins simply because pumpkins were sturdy to grow, so they didn't need to buy from markets.
The Chickenless Chick
Wonderful combo of flavors and textures... Yum!
Tasty Eats At Home
I was just thinking about this sole butternut squash that has been in my kitchen for a while. This will be just the thing to do with it! Thank you!
The Duo Dishes
It's funny how some of our childhood hatreds become faves. All it takes is a taste test. Pass the squash please!
5 Star Foodie
The butternut squash gratin sounds wonderful, so perfect with panko breadcrumbs & the addition of sage!
MaryMoh
That looks gorgeous! You are using all the ingredients that I love....yum.
wasabi prime
Fantastic - I love butternut squash and a whole gratin of it would be heavenly! I'm always looking for side dishes that are heavy on the veggies and not much pasta or rice. This is perfect!!
Kristin (KrisKishere)
That looks beautiful and delicious!
kathyvegas
What a stunning dish!